Thomas has hip surgery

Goalie’s rehab is 3-4 months

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, who just struggled through his most star-crossed season in the NHL, absorbed his most recent blow Friday when he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.

Recovery and rehabilitation are projected to take three to four months, which means starting the 2010-11 season on time is no certainty for Thomas, who will have his usual summer program affected by the procedure.

Dr. Bryan T. Kelly, who repaired David Krejci’s hip impingement last June, performed Thomas’s surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Thomas’s injury is normal wear and tear for goalies, who are more at risk than ever with labrum issues because of the popularity of the butterfly style, which places more stress on the hips. Former Boston University goalie Rick DiPietro is among the goalies (others include Ray Emery, Antero Niittymaki, and Niklas Backstrom) who have undergone similar procedures.